Devon In Sight

DIS soon realised that Charitylog would make an ideal platform for developing a unique Sight Loss assessment & outcome framework that they wished to develop, and in 2016 they began piloting their Sight Loss MOT with other Sight Loss Charities.

Today the award winning framework is a crucial part of their National Lottery funded Community Support Service. An increasing number of charities have since adopted the model.

Devon in Sight, originally formed in 1925, is a leading local Sight Loss charity, providing free practical help and advice to people who are blind or partially sighted in order to help them live their life to the full. DIS's vision is to be a Centre of Excellence for people in Devon affected by Sight Loss.

The need for a new Contact Management System

In 2014 the charity began rollout of a major modernisation programme, which involved a significant cultural shift to make the organisation "more professional". A new CRM was an essential part of this process.

Whereas the high profile generalist Contact Management Systems they considered would have required extensive work setting up and configuring for their requirements, they found that Charitylog already had the key functionality needed for client records, contact management and volunteer matching.

It was after further conversations with Merton Vision, another Sight Loss charity using Charitylog who were very positive about the product, that it became clear that Charitylog was the best solution for them.

The Sight Loss MOT

Devon in Sight had consistently found that following consultant/optician referrals, patients were often left with no idea what support was available. The charity identified the need for a framework to deliver the right support, in a way that made sense from the client's journey from initial diagnosis.

In 2016 DIS secured a four year grant from the Big Lottery and this led to the development of the Sight Loss MOT.

The framework was developed based on national best practices amongst other Sight Loss charities, published research such as RNIB My Voice 2015, commissioning priorities of the NHS and Public Health England, and the views of DIS's existing clients.

Charitylog & The Sight Loss MOT Framework

Developing the Sight Loss MOT originally involved using Charitylog to create ladder outcomes and basic assessment forms. The support team at Charitylog then developed the Excel macros needed to produce the spreadsheets & charts that DIS required from their Charitylog reporting system. An arrangement has since been made that allows other Sight Loss Charities using Charitylog to access the Charitylog "Library" and so use the online Sight Loss MOT. The MOT and supporting materials are made available to local Sight Loss charities that have attended DIS's two-day training course.

DIS are now actively promoting the framework to other Sight Loss charities and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. A number of Sight Loss Charities have been so impressed that they've gone on to procure Charitylog for themselves after seeing the framework. In these instances DIS has been happy to pass on the benefits of their experience in configuring the Charitylog system for the needs of Sight Loss charities.